LeadingAge Wisconsin is pioneering a transformative initiative to tackle two significant societal challenges simultaneously: the high school dropout crisis and the long-term care workforce shortage. Through its Research and Education Foundation (R&E), they have launched and are expanding the Geriatric Career Development (GCD) program, a pilot project that began at Ovation Communities in Milwaukee and is now set to broaden its reach across Wisconsin. This innovative program offers a unique pathway for at-risk students, providing them with invaluable career skills and opportunities within the growing field of geriatric care.
Understanding the Critical Need: At-Risk Youth and the Long-Term Care Crisis
The term “at-risk students” encompasses young individuals facing significant barriers to high school graduation. These students, often dropouts or those deficient in credits or skills, disproportionately include ethnic minorities, students with disabilities, and those from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Dropping out of high school significantly diminishes future prospects, leading to reduced job opportunities, lower income, increased unemployment, and a higher likelihood of requiring social assistance or facing incarceration. Education is paramount in empowering individuals and fostering economic and social well-being. The GCD program recognizes the potential within these at-risk youth to become contributing members of society.
Concurrently, Wisconsin, like many other regions, is grappling with a severe long-term care workforce crisis. Residential care providers are facing critical caregiver vacancy rates, impacting their ability to provide consistent and quality care. This shortage forces providers to make difficult choices:
- Limiting Admissions: Care facilities are compelled to restrict the number of individuals they can serve due to insufficient staffing.
- Overburdening Existing Staff: Providers heavily rely on overtime, double shifts, and other costly strategies to cover open hours, pushing current caregivers to their limits and increasing the risk of burnout.
Building Bridges: How the Geriatric Career Development Program Works
The R&E Foundation’s GCD program acts as a vital bridge connecting at-risk students with long-term care providers, addressing both critical issues head-on. The program’s vision is to inspire young people and cultivate the next generation of dedicated geriatric healthcare professionals. GCD achieves this by providing meaningful job opportunities within member and subscriber long-term care organizations while simultaneously working to close the educational achievement gap for students from challenging socioeconomic backgrounds.
GCD carefully selects students from partner high schools who commit to the program for three years, starting in 10th grade and continuing through 12th grade. These students dedicate eight to ten hours per week, year-round, to engaging in the program within member communities. The comprehensive GCD program offers a rich array of experiences and support, including:
- Elder Mentors: Building intergenerational relationships and providing guidance.
- Intergenerational Programming: Facilitating meaningful interactions between students and elderly residents.
- Targeted Tutoring: Providing academic support to ensure educational progress.
- Literacy Development: Enhancing essential reading and writing skills.
- Life Skills Counseling: Equipping students with crucial life management skills.
- Individual Coaching Sessions: Offering personalized support and guidance.
- Elder Care Fundamentals: Providing foundational knowledge in geriatric care.
- Health Career Explorations: Exposing students to various healthcare career paths.
- Bereavement Training: Developing sensitivity and skills for dealing with loss and grief.
- Departmental Internships: Offering hands-on experience in different areas of long-term care facilities.
- Clinical Skills Training: Providing practical training in essential healthcare skills.
A Ripple Effect of Positive Impact
The GCD program’s impact extends far beyond the participating students. By nurturing at-risk youth, GCD creates pathways to successful futures for these individuals, while simultaneously enriching the lives of long-term care residents. Students provide compassionate care and engage in intergenerational activities, directly benefiting the residents. Many residents, in turn, serve as mentors, creating a mutually beneficial exchange. The positive effects ripple outwards, strengthening families, schools, and the wider community. As the GCD program expands across Wisconsin, its impact will grow exponentially, creating a sustainable model for addressing critical needs.
Through the GCD Program, LeadingAge Wisconsin aims to:
- Provide Promising Career Paths: Ensure at-risk students have access to stable careers, promoting family stability, regional economic vitality, and long-term economic mobility.
- Develop Skilled Healthcare Workers: Equip new healthcare professionals with the skills and knowledge necessary to address the evolving needs of an aging population.
- Address Healthcare Workforce Gaps: Strengthen the healthcare system by addressing critical workforce shortages and enhancing the quality of care for older adults throughout Wisconsin.
Support the Future: Partner with GCD
The continued success and expansion of the GCD program depend on community support. LeadingAge Wisconsin invites individuals and organizations to partner with them in this vital initiative. By contributing to the GCD program, you are investing in the future of at-risk youth and ensuring quality care for seniors.
Donations to the LeadingAge Wisconsin Research & Education Foundation, a tax-deductible organization, directly support the GCD program. Levels of support include:
- Major Donor: (More than $5,000)
- Platinum Sponsor: $5,000
- Gold Sponsor: $2,500
- Silver Sponsor: $1,000
- Bronze Sponsor: $500
- Contributor: (Any amount less than $500)
LeadingAge Wisconsin gratefully acknowledges the generous support of major funders and sponsors who are committed to the GCD program’s mission.
For further information about the Geriatric Career Development Program or to discuss how you can contribute, please contact LeadingAge Wisconsin at 608-255-7060 or [email protected].
